We started our journey last Wednesday, leaving Florida with a weather report that matched its nickname of the Sunshine State. We encountered some sea fog for the first part of our journey, but that is not unusual for this time of the year. Construction had us cautiously take certain routes, but we were able to avoid Tampa rush hour traffic (both because we left at 3:40 in the morning and because we traveled north before we headed east), and we made good time in the morning.
At one of the waysides, we encountered a kitten who liked the warmth under our truck. We think that she was wild; when I chased her out from under the truck, she jumped up and settled herself on the top of the dual tires. Further persuasion had her on her way. I suppose she hangs out at the wayside because people either drop food or feed her. She did not seem malnourished at all, so she probably enjoys her free life.
Of course, just when I want to make sure I am wearing a medical alert bracelet, I get the clasp caught in a string on my shirt and pull the O-ring out. OK. That's not good. Into my wallet it went so I did not lose it. I'll have to fix it when I get home.
We made good time and reached Montgomery, AL, still enjoying 80 degree temperatures. We were originally supposed to drive as far as Cullen, AL, but listening to weather reports of the delayed Storm Thor (which was supposed to all be east of us by this time) convinced us that traveling as far as we could while the sun was still shining would be a good idea. I am so glad that we made that choice!
By mid-afternoon, we left Alabama, crossing into Tennessee. The temperatures were starting to drop, and we lost our sunshine to cloudy weather. Nashville is always our nemesis, and this time was no exception. By the time we reached the south part of Nashville, we were both exhausted and the weather was starting to deteriorate. We decided to try to get north of Nashville to Clarksville, and that was the best decision we made the entire trip.
Nashville met us, once again, with pouring rain. We watched the temperatures drop from the mid-40s into the mid-30s in about 15 minutes' time. To add to our frustration, the wipers on the truck had just baked in the Florida sun for 18 months, so they were dry and ripped in one place. They did NOT clean the windshield well, adding to our annoyance.
We finally cleared Nashville and headed toward Clarksville. The temperatures continued to drop. When we were 8.8 miles from Clarksville, the temperatures outside hit 32. "Well, at least the rain has not turned to ice yet," Rick said. Man plans, God laughs. Not thirty seconds later, icy flakes started to pelt the windshield. In the time we drove that almost 9 miles, the streets turned from wet to a layer of ice. We were tired, the sky was dark, the weather was crap, and the streets were dangerous. We were never so glad to see a hotel in all of our lives!
We awoke the next morning to a world that rivaled Disney's Frozen. After the ice from the evening before, we had the added delight of 8 inches of snow. Everyone at the hotel was trying to decide if they should continue their journeys. The news casts that morning informed us that Nashville was pretty much closed down -- no schools, no industry, and finally no government. Emergency vehicles were the only thing supposed to be on the road, and police urged everyone to stay where they were.
Rick went outside in bitter cold to clean off the truck. A layer of ice coated the windshield. When he came in, he said that everything was ice under the snow. We continued to watch the news and learned that Highway 24, our route out of Clarksville to Illinois, was totally blocked with jackknifed semis, trucks stuck at the bottom of hills, and traffic backed up for miles. OK. No sense in trying that way. The hotel graciously extended out check-out time from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
As the sun rose higher, we both ventured out to see if we could get the truck out onto the city streets. The truck started right away, but as Rick backed out of the parking space, our back wheels hit ice. He tried to shift into 4-wheel drive. For his efforts, he got a message that said, "Have 4-wheel drive checked." No go. We figured the mechanism that allowed us to change into 4-wheel drive was frozen. I got behind the wheel and Rick started to push. When he was nearly dead of a heart-attack, a man came out and helped him push the truck back into the parking space. He told us that he had taken his car out that morning and got stuck on ice five times. Others had to help him push over icy spots to get back to the hotel.
Going back into the warmth of the hotel, we heard that Highway 24 was still closed with over 450 cars and trucks stopped dead on the road. That fact, and the recently stuck truck, convinced us that traveling anywhere that day was out of the question. Impatient I am; stupid I am not.
As noon approached, we felt the need for more nourishment than BelVita crackers and an apple. The hotel was surrounded by restaurants a short distance away, so we ventured out on foot in the freezing cold to try to get some lunch. Of course, I had made a last minute decision not to bring a scarf with me, so my gloved hands went over my ears to keep them from freezing while we gingerly walked over the ice to Arby's. Walking back was better since the wind was behind us.
After lunch, we heard the rumor that Highway 24 was supposed to be open. Newscasters told us that was not true. The highway eventually did open for a couple of hours that afternoon, but officials warned that whatever melting might be happening would definitely turn back to ice that evening. It was too late to even try to venture out, so we went back to our room. As the temperatures rose into the 30s, we ventured out with the truck (not getting stuck this time) and found a bar open where we could buy a pizza for dinner. The large mall in town was closed, but the bars were open!
The next morning dawned sunny but near zero with wind chills below zero. That was frustrating because Clarksville was supposed to reach into the high 50s by the end of the week. Nashville was still an icy mess, so we were very glad that we were north of that city. The traffic report that morning told us that Highway 24 was again closed. Apparently over 250 people had tried to get through when it opened on Thursday, and most of them spent the night in their cars and trucks after the road froze over again. National Guardsmen were called out to give them food and water.
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| The view from our hotel window late Thursday. The black track show ice, not dry pavement. |
The traffic report also suggested an alternative to Highway 24: Highway 41 that went north to Evansville, Indiana. Since they recommended it, we decided to give it a try. We heard that Highway 24 was still closed, but enough of it around Clarksville was open and dry, so we ventured out on that and connected with Highway 41. Thankfully, it was dry all the way through Kentucky to Evansville, and the further north we went, the less evidence of snow and ice we found. Yes, we still saw numerous cars and trucks that had slid into the medians, but our roads were clear.
To make up lost time, we decided to really push our travels, driving as far as we could. Our target was Janesville, Wisconsin, but we did not know if we could drive that far. However, we are nothing if not stubborn. While Rick did most of the driving, I took the wheel long enough to give him time to rest a bit. When we were both dead tired, we pulled into Janesville. We had left Tennessee that morning, traveling to Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, and finally Wisconsin. Five states in one day is enough for anyone!
The next morning our 3 1/2 hour journey to Minnesota seemed like nothing. We were glad to get to Stephanie's house where we could settle in and get something other than restaurant food to eat.
On Monday, we took Stephanie in for her knee surgery. She was a bit groggy when we brought her home later that afternoon, but she was able to eat dinner with us before she settled in for the night.
This morning (Tuesday) she said she had a restless night since she is not used to sleeping on her back with her knee propped up on pillows. However, she walked from the bedroom to the living room without crutches, and she is on the road to recovery. THAT road, I submit to you, is far better than any roads we have ventured upon for the last few days!
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